The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is entrusted with protecting Florida’s natural resources — our wildlife, our waterways, and the safety of those who enjoy them. But under its current leadership, the Commission has failed not only in its environmental responsibilities but in its basic duty to uphold justice.
The FWC Commission is not currently required to include members with expertise in wildlife conservation, marine science, ecology, or law enforcement oversight. Instead, it has become stacked with politically connected lobbyists, developers, and major campaign donors — individuals whose interests may conflict with ...
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is entrusted with protecting Florida’s natural resources — our wildlife, our waterways, and the safety of those who enjoy them. But under its current leadership, the Commission has failed not only in its environmental responsibilities but in its basic duty to uphold justice.
The FWC Commission is not currently required to include members with expertise in wildlife conservation, marine science, ecology, or law enforcement oversight. Instead, it has become stacked with politically connected lobbyists, developers, and major campaign donors — individuals whose interests may conflict with the mission of conservation and public safety.
This lack of qualification and oversight has led to serious consequences. The most devastating: the agency’s botched investigation into the 2022 boat crash in Biscayne Bay that killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez and left Katy Puig with a life-altering traumatic brain injury.
The facts emerging from the FWC’s own public statements and investigative reporting are alarming:
Four officers’ body camera footage has been deleted.
A third piece of critical evidence — surveillance photos from a federal camera that may have disproved the operator’s defense — is now also missing.
The FWC’s own policies require that such evidence be retained for 5–13 years, yet the agency allowed this evidence to be erased or vanish.
George Pino, the boat operator, admitted to drinking.
Despite this, no sobriety test was administered, and the FWC Chair publicly stated there was “no probable cause” — contradicting FWC’s own training materials.
Even more disturbing: FWC Chair Rodney Barreto defended these actions, yet was reappointed by the Florida Senate.
The families of Lucy and Katy deserve answers and justice.
Floridians deserve an FWC that operates with transparency, integrity, and scientific expertise.
And the public deserves to know whether evidence was destroyed intentionally or as part of a broader failure of leadership.
Until the truth comes out, and until reforms are enacted to ensure qualified, ethical leadership at the FWC, the public’s trust in this critical agency will remain broken.
No family should have to fight this hard for accountability after the loss of a child.
No investigation should result in missing evidence, conflicting statements, and no consequences.
And no agency tasked with protecting Florida’s people and wildlife should be governed without expertise, oversight, and public trust.
Now is the time for truth. Now is the time for reform.
Florida families deserve truth, justice, and accountability. Demand a full, independent investigation into the mishandled boat crash case — and reform the FWC to ensure it serves the people, not political insiders.
With your help, we can let Florida's legislators know that the People DEMAND an investigation into the corrupt FWC Commission.